Explosive compound.



- consequently get oxidized at the expense of I so gree of fineness, an conse comminut-ion of the metals in a compact con-' 40 UNITED STATE S RICHARD EseALEs, or MUNiGH-SUHWABING, GERMANY.

EXPLOSiVE CQMPOUND- m .eza e'e.

serene ()FEIGE.

Eaten-ted Feb. 18, 1906.

mama ma December 81,1908. seal in. 18?,868.

1'0 all whom, it may concern:

- Be it known that I, Rrcnnnn ESOALES, doc- Improvements in Explosive (Lompositions,-

(for which I have epphed for a patent in Germany on the 18th a of November, 1902, in Austria on the 20th ay of November, 1902, and in Great Britain on the 20th day of November, 1902,) of which the following is a specification.

Aecordin to recent researches the disrup ive power e l explosives may be substantia ly enhanced by the admixture of finely-divided metals which are easily oxidizable and will .the oxy en contained in the GXPlOSIVB during the deflagration of the latter, which process is accompanied with considerable generation of heat. demonstrated that the physical structure of the metal has much influence pn the degree of its action in the explosive composition and that a wooly condition'that is to say, the shape which metals possess in the recentlyproduced metal wool-is eminently adapted to enhance the dynamic energy or disruptive effect of explosives. These readily-combusa.

tible metal wools which, moreover, possess catalytic properties an extraordinary deuentl an enormous surface, reduce an e ect ilir superior to that obtaina le from the same metals when they are in a state of fine division produced by ordinary mechanical disintegration or dition. The oxygen or oxygen-carrier forming art of the explosive com osition may be in t e shape hit erto used or similar purposes. Among the metals hitherto tested as addition to explosives aluminium (in the shape of aluminium wool) has been found eminently usefuL. The quantity depends, of course,

upon the nature of the explosive and thees pecial effect desired and may in someoeses amount to fifty percent. of the quantity of Further experiments have v the explosive employed. -Hitherto the fol-,-

lowingthree examp es have given the best results: 7

1. Picric acid, eighty parts; aluminium wool, twenty arts.

5 II. Westfahte, eighty-five parts; aluminis um woo fifteen parts.

III. Uarbonite, ninety parts; aluminium wool, ten parts.

The ingredients of Westfalite referred to consists o resin and ammonium nitrate and the ingredients of the carbonite referred to are nitroglycerin, kisselguhr, wood meal, and potassium rutrate.

The great superiority as regards its influence on the dynamic effect of explosives position are, for'instance, magnesium, alu-' minium, zinc, and iron.

What I claim is-I 1. An explosive composition containing an oxy en-carrier and in addition an easily-oxidiza le metal in the shape of metal wool for enhancing the dynamic effect of the said composition.

2. An explosive composition containing an oxy en carrier and in addition aluminium wool for enhancing the dynamic eiie'ct of said composition,

3. An explosive composition consisting of Westfalite and aluminium wool, substantially as described.

4. An explosive com osition containin ammonium nitrate an aluminium woo substantially as described.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto si 'ned my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RICHARD ESCALES.

Witnesses H. lanmacn, C, RATE. 

